u003cpu003eu003cstrongu003e u003ca href=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/non-Duchenneu002du002drotated.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-9823 alignnoneu0022 src=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/non-Duchenneu002du002d225x300.jpgu0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022225u0022 height=u0022300u0022 /u003eu003c/au003eu003ca href=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Duchenne-smile-rotated.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-9822 alignnoneu0022 src=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Duchenne-smile.jpgu0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022225u0022 height=u0022300u0022 /u003eu003c/au003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eMasked Connection: How to Smile with Your Eyesu003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eLast week, I had a conversation with my friend Jenny (founder of u003ca href=u0022https://rezilia.org/u0022u003eReziliau003c/au003e). She recounted her recent trip to the grocery store, where, like most of the shoppers, she wore a mask. She realized that she found masks a bit disconcerting, not because they are reminders that we’re experiencing a pandemic, but because they u003cemu003ehide human emotionu003c/emu003e. At the store, she noticed people weren’t making much eye contact, and when they did, they seemed a bit… ‘blank’.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eIt feels especially weird to be around seemingly non-expressive people when you crave connection.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eThere was one grocery store worker, however, who stood out to Jenny that day. She asked him about strawberries. Though a mask was covering the lower half of his face, when he responded to her, she could tell his face was broadly smiling. It was in his eyes. That smile made her day.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eIn this time of physical distancing, connection to others is so vital, but masks, u003ca href=u0022https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449u0022u003ethough they are an important way to stop the spread of Covid-19u003c/au003e, muffle the power of our facial expressions.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eHuman beings communicate so much through the face. We look to others for cues on how we should be feeling. Others’ expressions can influence our emotions. This is especially true for children. When a child sees their parent’s face relaxed and content, that’s a cue the situation is safe. When a child sees their parent’s face fearful, that’s a cue to also be scared.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eOur expressions are a powerful influence on our environment and the people around us. A smile from another human, u003ca href=u0022https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/05/why-americans-smile-so-much/524967/u0022u003eespecially in American cultureu003c/au003e, has the power to make us feel safe and connected, which promotes our sense of self-regulation and well-being. We connect through our facial expressions.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eBut how do we connect when our faces are covered?u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eWhen I was in college, I took a class on the psychology of emotions. In it, I learned about the difference between a genuine and a fake smile. u003cstrongu003eIt's all u003c/strongu003eu003cstrongu003ein the eyesu003c/strongu003e. French anatomist Guillaume-Benjamin-Amand Duchenne de Boulogne discovered this in 1862; a century later, psychologist Paul Ekman dubbed genuine smiles ‘Duchenne smiles.’u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eHow do you form a Duchenne smile? It is characterized not only by the corners of your lips turning up, but also by ‘crinkling of the eyes.’ I have particularly crinkly eyes, so I created some examples for you.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eWhy did the grocery store worker make Jenny’s day? He gave her a Duchenne smile.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eThe next time you’re wearing a mask and you want to add a little positivity to your environment, focus on your eyes. Brief eye contact and a Duchenne smile could help someone feel more connected in this very unusual time. You too can make someone’s day.u003c/pu003e
